Chapter 236 Shock
After arranging matters at home, Deng Shirong boarded a bus to Nanning the next day.
In this day and age, Deng Shirong only needed to account for geographical differences when selling longan, as there was no need to consider time differences.
After all, with the current preservation methods, if he waited until winter or spring to sell longan that appeared as fresh as if it had just been picked, it would be alarming. Such a feat might even attract unwanted attention from those with ulterior motives, which wouldn't be worth the trouble.
By focusing solely on geographical differences, transporting longans to the capital during the harvest season wouldn't raise too many eyebrows. Even industry insiders would only marvel at the logistics and preservation methods, without suspecting anything unusual.
After spending a night at a guesthouse in Nanning, Deng Shirong boarded a train to Beijing the following day.
...
Noon.
Bobai County Bus Station.
Deng Yunheng led Ou Guofang, Deng Changdong, and Changdong's mother out of the station.
As they watched the bicycles and occasional motor vehicles passing by, Deng Changdong and his family felt as if their eyes had been opened to a new world.
Ou Guofang, who was pregnant, couldn't help but exclaim, "This is what a county town is like! So many bicycles. It's completely different from the countryside."
Changdong's mother stared at the multi-story buildings in the distance and sighed, "Yes, the county town is truly something. Look at how tall those buildings are!"
Though Deng Changdong remained silent, his eyes betrayed a sense of longing.
Deng Yunheng understood their amazement well. When he had first visited the county town with his father, he had been equally awestruck. It wasn't until he went to school in Beijing last year and witnessed the capital's prosperity that Bobai County began to feel less impressive in comparison.
"Sister Yunfeng, let's head to my restaurant for lunch first. My eldest brother and his wife are there too."
Changdong's mother hesitated, "Yunheng, there's no need to trouble yourself with a restaurant meal. We can just have a bowl of noodles outside."
Deng Yunheng laughed, "Sister Yunfeng, what are you saying? How could I let you eat noodles on the street when you've come all this way? Don't be polite with me. It's getting late, and I'm hungry. Let's go!"
After a few more polite refusals, Changdong's mother finally relented, and the family of three followed Deng Yunheng to Suifeng Restaurant.
About ten minutes later, they arrived at the restaurant.
When Changdong's mother saw the three-story, sprawling Suifeng Restaurant, she was utterly stunned.
News of Uncle Jiu opening a restaurant in the county town had spread throughout the surrounding villages, sparking discussions that had lasted over a month. However, Changdong's mother had never imagined that Uncle Jiu's restaurant would be dozens of times larger than the villagers had speculated. It was beyond belief.
She asked in disbelief, "Yunheng, is this really the restaurant your family opened?"
Though Deng Changdong and Ou Guofang were also somewhat shocked, they had been mentally prepared, so their reactions weren't as dramatic as Changdong's mother's.
The main reason was that Ou Guohua, who had come here to give birth, had seen the restaurant under construction. Though she hadn't said much about it afterward, she couldn't keep it entirely to herself, especially from her cousin Ou Guofang. Naturally, Ou Guofang had shared the details with her husband.
Thus, the couple had long known that Uncle Jiu's restaurant was sizable.
Still, even with that preparation, seeing the magnificent restaurant in person left them in awe.
Deng Yunheng understood Mrs. Yunfeng's shock. Even he, who had seen more of the world, had been taken aback when he first saw the scale of their restaurant, let alone Mrs. Yunfeng, who was visiting the county town for the first time.
He smiled and said, "Of course it's true. Don't just stand here. Let's go in!"
With that, Deng Yunheng led the way into the restaurant.
Changdong's mother followed, her heart still racing with astonishment. Deng Changdong and Ou Guofang exchanged a glance and trailed behind.
As they entered, Zhang Xiuping, sitting at the cashier counter, spotted them immediately and greeted them warmly, "Sister Yunfeng, Adong, Afang, you're here!"
"Ah Ping!"
"Ah Ping!"
After exchanging greetings, Zhang Xiuping stepped out from behind the counter, took Ou Guofang's hand, and said, "I calculated the dates and guessed you'd arrive in the next few days. The room's already been cleaned for you!"
Ou Guofang thanked her and then remarked, "Ah Ping, you look so well. It seems life in the county town suits you!"
Zhang Xiuping smiled, "You look good too…"
While the two sisters chatted, Deng Yunheng helped Deng Changdong and his mother store their luggage and invited them to sit down. Deng Yunzhen came over to greet them briefly before heading to the kitchen to prepare their meal.
Soon, a waiter brought tea.
As they sipped their tea, the mother and son curiously observed the restaurant's layout. The more they looked, the more amazed they became.
Changdong's mother couldn't help but sigh, "Yunheng, no wonder your father didn't mind your brother's income from the tile factory and asked him to give up his position as the master tile maker to Yuan long ago. Compared to this grand restaurant, the village tile factory is nothing."
Deng Yunheng replied, "Sister Yunfeng, it's different. My eldest brother's work at the tile factory provides a stable monthly income. Running a restaurant is different. You might earn more, but you could also lose money. It's unpredictable."
Deng Changdong chimed in with a smile, "Uncle Yunheng, everyone in our Help And Correct Brigade knows Uncle Jiu's capabilities. Any business he sets his sights on is bound to succeed. It's just a matter of how much profit he can make."
Deng Yunheng smiled, "I hope so!"
By then, Ou Guofang and Zhang Xiuping had joined them at the table. They chatted about family matters until the food arrived.
The meal consisted of boiled chicken, boiled pork trotter, scallion-fried eggs, mountain water tofu, cold water spinach, and tomato egg drop soup. These five dishes and one soup were already a lavish spread for Deng Changdong's family.
As they ate, Ou Guofang asked, "Ah Ping, why did your brother-in-law want to learn how to drive?"
In later generations, driving would be a basic skill for most adults, but in this era, it was unusual. Except for a select few, most people had no reason to learn how to drive. Without connections, becoming a driver—one of the "eight major members"—was nearly impossible.
If one didn't intend to become a driver, there was no point in learning, as there were no opportunities to practice. It would simply be a waste of money.
Zhang Xiuping explained, "He went to learn with his cousin. As for why, I'm not sure. It was my father-in-law who asked him to do it."
Hearing that it was Uncle Jiu's idea, Ou Guofang didn't press further. If Uncle Jiu had suggested it, there must be a good reason.
After the meal and a short rest, Zhang Xiuping said, "Sister Yunfeng, let me take you to your room to put away your luggage. If you're tired, you can rest. If not, we can take a walk around the county."
Changdong's mother perked up at the suggestion, "I'm not tired. Let's put our things away and go for a walk. I'm very curious about the county town."
Ou Guofang agreed, "I'm not tired either, Mom. Let's go together!"
Zhang Xiuping checked the time and smiled, "It's past the lunch rush, so the restaurant won't be busy for the next couple of hours. I'll join you."
Ou Guofang hesitated, "Ah Ping, you don't have to come with us. Xiao Dong'er is sleeping. What if she wakes up and can't find you?"
Zhang Xiuping reassured her, "It's fine. She's closer to her aunt than to me, her mother. I'll just let Ah Zhen know."
With that, Ou Guofang no longer objected and nodded, "Alright then!"
...
On a Train to Beijing.
This was Deng Shirong's fifth time taking this long-distance train, so he was well-acquainted with the journey.
He had stored all his food, drinks, and valuables in his system space. On the surface, he carried a bulging sack, but it contained nothing more than a few old clothes—a decoy to avoid drawing attention.
With nothing of value on him, he had no worries about theft. After boarding the train, he leaned against the window and dozed off.
For a journey as grueling as this, time seemed to drag on endlessly. The best way to pass the hours was to sleep, as it made the trip feel shorter. A few hours could slip by in what felt like moments.
Sitting across from Deng Shirong was a young woman with a child. She wore patched clothes and appeared to be no older than 25, though her eyes carried a melancholy that made her seem older. Despite her worn appearance, her facial features suggested she had once been quite pretty.
The little boy with her, about four or five years old, sat quietly, lacking the liveliness typical of children his age.
Deng Shirong had noticed them when he boarded but, being strangers, he saw no reason to inquire about their story.
Though sleeping while sitting was uncomfortable, Deng Shirong was fortunate to have a window seat. Using the sack as a cushion, he leaned against the window and managed to doze off.
When he woke up, it was lunchtime.
Passengers around him began eating the food they had brought—sweet potatoes, taro, corn, cassava, buns, steamed buns, and even rice with pickles. Some had even brought meat. Notably absent was instant noodles, a staple of train journeys in later years.
Though instant noodles existed in the country at the time, they hadn't yet become widely available, so their absence on the train was unsurprising.
End of Chapter.